DOOR HANDLES, Replacement Options

[struckn]

My '74 914's driver side door handle broke a couple months ago. It cracked in two and I tried JB Weld to get it back together. Seemed to work great until last week when it broke again where I had the JB Weld covering the cracked area and over lapped the pot metal beyond the crack.

So I'm waiting for an after market replacement I ordered from Pelican. Their cost was less then half of an original Porsche replacement Handle's cost. Pelican described the original 914 Handles as one of the major problem areas to fail.

We'll see how it goes, the reviews from others say it works, fits and looks the same.
I had taken out the original Handle once before. It's not a hard fix. Only concern is how to remove the original Key mechanism from the original handle and install it in the after market Handle.
I'll figure it out, can't be too difficult.

Oh, when I ordered the replacement Pelican shows it to be the last one that had.

Tally Hoe!

Doug in New Freedom Pa.

[914sgofast2]

In my experience the outer handle and the plastic/nylon operating cam lever tend to break because the door lock itself has become gummed up with years of dirt, oil, grease and gunk deep down in the mechanism. Do you doors a favor and take off the door lock and soak it in parts cleaner overnight and then use an air hose to blow out the gunk the next morning. Oil it up and put it back on the car. I was amazed at how much easier my doors worked after doing this.

[URY914]

In my experience the outer handle and the plastic/nylon operating cam lever tend to break because the door lock itself has become gummed up with years of dirt, oil, grease and gunk deep down in the mechanism. Do you doors a favor and take off the door lock and soak it in parts cleaner overnight and then use an air hose to blow out the gunk the next morning. Oil it up and put it back on the car. I was amazed at how much easier my doors worked after doing this.

There is no doubt that a junked up handle will aid in stressing the handle. But remember too that these cars FLEX and the handle is at the point in the car that there is a lot of movement going on when you're autocrossing, flying RR tracks, etc. The latch and handle move and stresses the mounting tab.

Another reason is people pull the handle TOO HARD when they are opening the doors. You only need to unlatch the door with the handle. The door is very light you don't need to pull if off the hinges. This happens more often on the passenger side door. I willing to bet I've repaired more mounting tabs on right side handles because us owners know how to gently pull on the handle. But your buddy pulls it like he's opening the door on his '71 Camero.

I speak from experience with handles....